Harvard professor talks gay marriage, NC Amendment One

As the North Carolina legislature considers a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, the UNC sexuality studies program aims to educate students about all perspectives of the debate.

As part of the program’s “Equality Matters” lecture series, Harvard professor Nancy F. Cott spoke Tuesday about the changing nature of marriage throughout the years and its current meaning. Cott is a historian and became involved in the Proposition 8 debate through her research on marriage history.

She was also called to be an expert witness in the Perry v. Schwarzenegger case, which overturned Proposition 8, ending the ban on gay marriage in California.

“History shows that the right to marry is a basic civil right,” she said.

Cott said she is not an activist, and prefers to be called a scholar.

“I only came into (the Proposition 8 debate) because I wrote a book about the history of marriage.”

Through researching her book, “Public Vows: A History of Marriage and the Nation,” Cott said she became convinced that marriage should be available for all genders and sexual orientations because of marriage’s origins.

Cott said she found that marriage is a legislatively created institution, not a religious construct.

Nancy Schoonmaker, coordinator for the program in sexuality studies, said the topics Cott discussed were relevant, and was excited to meet Cott and hear what she had to say.

“She’s been a pivotal person in the history of women and gender since the inception of the studies,” Schoonmaker said.

Cott’s discussion about the lifting of the gay marriage ban in California triggered conversation about Amendment One, the possible gay marriage ban in North Carolina.

For Christopher Putney, a professor of Russian literature and the interim director for the program in sexuality studies, the issue hit home.

Putney, who set up the lecture, said he and his husband were just married in Massachusetts legally, and that he does not feel his marriage is any less legitimate than others’.

But Putney is still worried that the amendment will be passed and will affect him.

“The thought of it is really personally disturbing to me,” he said.

Senior Abbey Riddick, a women’s studies major, said she thinks everyone needs to understand the full effects of the amendment if it is passed.

“The thing about Amendment One that people don’t understand is that it’s not just about marriage,” Riddick said.

She said this lecture series is a right step in the education of students on the issue.

“It’s the responsibility of the University so we can get the full story.”

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